Gun Deaths and Injuries

The societal cost of U.S. injuries from firearms, including lost work time, medical care, insurance, criminal-justice expenses, pain and suffering and lost quality of life, amounted to about $174 billion in 2010, according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Fatal injuries accounted for $153.3 billion, or nearly 90 percent of the costs. Assaults and homicides accounted for 65 percent of the costs, followed by suicides, accounting for 31 percent of all injuries caused by firearms. Unintentional acts, legal intervention and acts of undetermined intent account for the remainder.

DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES BY FIREARM, 2010 AND 2011

Number

Percent of total

Deaths caused by firearms

2010

2011 (1)

2010

2011 (1)

Accidental discharge of firearms

606

851

1.9%

2.6%

Suicide by firearm

19,392

19,766

61.9

61.5

Assault (homicide) by firearm

11,078

11,101

35.4

34.5

Undetermined intent

252

222

0.8

0.7

Total (2)

31,328

32,163

100.0%

100.0%

(1) Preliminary.
(2) Does not include deaths resulting from legal intervention.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Vital Statistics Report.